Photo via mnnonline.org

Christians position to be ready to aid China with rebuilding

The death toll in China's Sichuan quake has already hit 15,0000 and continues to soar. It's the worst earthquake to hit the nation since 1976, reports MNN.

Tens of thousands of rescuers raced the clock to save more than 25,000 people buried in southwest Sichuan province after Monday's 7.9 magnitude quake. China's rapid response to the quake shows they have experience dealing with disasters.

Operations are well underway, so aid teams have been rebuffed, although supplies have not. International Aid's Milton Amayun says they stand ready, although "the People's Republic of China has to declare an emergency where it needs help from the outside. They have to invite personnel to go in."

Unlike Myanmar (currently dealing with the effects of Cyclone Nargis), China accepted foreign offers for aid from the United States, Germany, Japan, Russia, Taiwan, and South Korea.

Amayun says they're working with three partners on the ground for second-wave response. "International Aid is exploring how we could provide the strengths that we normally have in responding to these situations, and that's the rehabilitation of the health system."

Disasters like the quake often open the door for the hope of Christ. Amayun says, in this case, it comes from within. "I would expect that there would be hundreds of house churches operating underground. We need to pray for the Christians that, within their means, they would be able to respond compassionately to the disaster that just happened to their neighbors."

International Aid, based in Spring Lake, MI, is a Christian relief and development agency that works globally to improve the health of the world's poorest people. It has responded to more than 100 natural and man-made disasters, delivering more than $500 million in supplies and resources.

[05/15/2008]

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